Electric train-line coupling.



H. F. WOERNLEY.

ETECTRIC TRAIN LINE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8. 19I5.

1,244,936.. Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

2 SHEET$-SHEET I.

IIII APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8.1915- Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES ilNiiED TATE PATENT FEEMEQ HARRY F. WOEENLEY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTING- HOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A, CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC TRAIN-LINE COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented got, 30 1917 Application filed October a, 1915. Serial No. 54,914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, I'IARRY F. WOERNLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certainnew and useful Improvement in Electric Train-Line Couplings, of which improvement the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coupling devices for connecting the electric train line circuits between the cars of a train, and more particularly to that type of electric couplings in which each of the counterpart couplers of the adjacent cars is provided with a plurality of fixed contacts connected to the respective train line circuits, a movable contact carrierhaving corresponding contacts, one of said carriers being adapted to be projected to make electrical connections between the respective fixed contacts of the counterpart couplers, and a manually actuated mechanical connection for project ing one of said contact carriers, suchas shown in the prior application of Thomas R. Brown, Serial No. 831,000, filed April 10,1914. a

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide animproved form of mechanical connection operated manually for projecting the contact carrier, and another object is to provide an improved interlock connection between the mechanism for operating the carrier and thecar coupler whereby the car coupler can not'be released until the electric contact carrier has been withdrawn. These and other objects will now more fully appear from the following description, and the novel features of my improvement will be set forth. in the appended claims.

In the accompaning drawings: Figure 1 is a. vertical section of one form of my improved electric coupling device, showing the same suspended from the car coupler which is indicated in side elevation, the section being taken substantially on the line m-m of Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a viewofthe electric coupling showing one-halfin horizontal section and the. other half in plan, with the cover removed; Fig; 3, a horizontalsection of a portion of the car coupler on alarger scale,

showing the coupler lock; and Fig. 4, a view,

one-half in front elevation of the electric s pl s. ac lt i b h ea in carrier or zontally and connected to their respectivetrain line circuits. A movable contact can rier, 3, shown in the form of a horizontal slide, and having awseries of corresponding connected contact bars, 4: and 5, is mounted to reciprocate longitudinally within the casing, and isadapted to be projectedout through the. open front end and into the counterpart coupler of an adjacent car to connect the corresponding fixed contacts of the counterpart couplings, and thus close the several train line circuits between" the cars. f

The contact carrier is provided at both sides with cylindrical projections, 6,mounted on the cylindrical sleeves,"7, supported on theguide rods, 8, carrying the coiled springs, 9, within 'thesleeves. When the carrier is moved .voutward, the projections,v 6, slide upon the sleeves, 7 without compressing the springs, 9, butwhen moved in the opposite direction, as when engaged by the'carrier of the counterpart coupler, the projection, 6, engages a flange onvthe sleeve,[7, and moves the same inward to compress the spring which bears againstthe "fixed abut ment or sleeve, 10, at its inner end.

As a means for projecting the carrier or slide, I have provided a bell crank lever, 11, pivoted at 12, to the casing, and having one long arm connected'by a link, 14, withthe slide, and a shorter arm having a pin,15, projecting into ahelicoidal slot, 16, formed in cam portion, 17, mounted on the shaft, 18, extending through bearings in the. easing, and having handles, 19, for manna-ll operating the same.

It will'be noted that the slot, 16, formed in the cam member, 17, is provided with an extension, 16 at its end, for the purpose ofallowing the free movement of the pin, 15, of lever, 11, of'the. slide in thecounr terpart coupler which is forced back to its extreme inner position by the other slide that is being projected. i r

Theflcar coupler, 27,;is preferaloly of the I 991 9 are l eY ne' ai .993 it??? neat jection adapted to engage a correspondingly snaped recess of the counterpart coupler,

and he clamped therewith by a locking lever, QGQvnich may 1 e operated by a hand lever, 25, having a geared connection, 20, with the vertical stem or shaft, 2%, carrying the double cam, 23, engaging the roller, 22, on the rod, 21, for actuating'the locking lever, the spring, 28, normally acting to extend the locking lever to the position for coupling.

According to another feature or my improvement, I provide an interlocking means between the car coupler mechanism and the contact carrier, whereby, when the couplers are locked together with the contacts con nected, it necessary to withdraw the contact, carrierheiore the coupler locl: can he released. This prevents releasing the couplers when one of the slides, or contact carriers, is in its projected position with the electric circuits closed. Such a means may comprise a pivoted latch lever, 30, having a locking pin, 31, ext nding through the casing and adapted to engage an aperture in the arm, mounted on the lower end of the actuating shaft, as, or the coupler. The other end of the latch is adapted to engage a rounded projection. 33, mounted on the slide, 3, when in its normal release position, as shown in Fig. thus forcing the latch against the sprin at, and withdrawing the pin, 31, from the arm, 32, and perrnitting the free movement of the handleof the coupler loch. lVhen tie couplers are coupled together with one or the slides projected, and tie other forced hacl: to its inner position, the spring, at, actuates the latch, 30, and the pin, 31, enters the aperture oi the arm, 32. The parts are then interlocked, and the coupler cannot be released by movement of the handle, 25, until the slide has been returned to its normal release position.

VJhen it is desiredto release the coupling to separate the cars, the handle, 19, is turned towithdraw the slide, 3, that has been projected into the counterpart coupler, and the spring, 9, acts to return the slide in said counterpartcoupler from its inner position to itsnorrnal position. The latch levers, 30, in loothcouplers are thereby withdrawn, leaving the couplers free to bernanipulat'ed lav the hand levers, 25. These hand levers, 25, of both couplers are then turned in either direction to operate their cams and release the coupler locking levers, 26, whereupon the couplers may be separated.

vino; now describedray-invention, what cla in new and desire to secure by Let- Patent is 1. In an electric train line, coupling, the cornhination 'of a casing having fixedcontacts 'connected to the respective train line circuits, a movable contact carrier having 0 connect LllG corresponding contwo counterpart couplers, nianuoi'respouding contacts and adapted to he combination or a casing having fixed conconnected to the respective line circuits, niovahle c-rntact carrier having corresponding contacts and adapted to be projected to connect the of two counterpart couplers, a manuoerated cam, and a lever having one arm connectorto the contact carrier: the other arm hci V itod by said Cain.

in an el "c thin line coupling the 7' i dconcornecte'i to the respective bl'fllll line circuits, i lovable contact carie r having correspondi-ie' contacts and adapted to be projected to connect the corresponding contacts oi? two counterp rt couplers, rnanually operated cain ha -l j helical'slot, and a lever cngag ino" said slot and connected to said contact carrier.

i. In an electric train line coupling, the combination of a casin having fixed con- 1 the esn'cctive train line all) operated s aft, carn mounted on said shaft, and a let or actuat l hv s ll earn and connected to the contact carrier. 7

5, in an electric train line coupling, the combination of fixed contacts connected to the respective train line circuits, a movable having" corresponding contacts and adapted to be projected [to connect the corresponding cont-acts of the two counterpart couplers, guide rods at the sides of said slide, coiled springs said rods, and sleeves slidahlv mounted on the guiderods and =op-. erated by said slides.

6. .ln an electric train line coupling, the conibinationot fixed contacts connected to the respective n line circuits, movable slice having corresponding contacts and adapted to he projccted'to connect the corresponding contacts of the two counterpart couplers guide rods at'the sides of said slide, coiled s "inns on said rods and sleeves inounted on said guide rods, the slides having' projections at the sides slid-ably connected with said sleeves.

7. in a coinhined car and electriccoupling, the combination offirred contacts con nected to the "respective trainline circuits, a'rnovahle contactcarrier having ;corresponding contacts'for'connecting the same V 1th the'contacts of a counterpart coupler, niaiiuallv actuated device for pro e'ctrn" 1 H, v i

carrier, a coupler lock, and ansntercorresponding con-c coking xnecha nismior preventing the re L in lease of the coupler look while the contact carrier is projected.

8. In a combined car and electric coupling, the combination of a movable contact carrier adapted to establish connection be tween the couplers, a coupler lock, a manually operative stem for actuating same, and an interlocking latch lever between said stem and the contact carrier.

9. In a combined car and electric coupling, the combination of fixed contacts connected to the respective train line circuits, a movable contact carrier having corresponding contacts, means for projecting the a carrier to establish electrical connection bechanical interlock between the carrier and the coupler lock for preventing the release of the coupler look while the contact carrier is in its projected position.

10. In a combined car and electric coupling, the combination of fixed contacts connected to the respective train line circuits, a movable contact carrier having corresponding contacts, means for projecting the carrier to establish electrical connection between the corresponding contacts of counterpart couplers, a coupler lock, and interlocking mechanism operated by the outward movement of the contact carrier for locking the coupler lock.

In testimony thereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HARRY F. l/VOERNLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

